Into the Sky
by LucyWithoutDiamonds
Summary: Alfred feels suffocated by life. The weight of the world has finally become too heavy. He wants nothing more than to escape, and believes he has found a way to: suicide. A songfic with 21 Guns by Green Day.


**A/N: Often, I'm inspired to write by music, and the lyrics to it. They're a form of art that everyone can relate to, and connect with if they try. Songs tell stories and convey feelings just like writing, so it only fits to use them to inspire writing. This, however, is my first songfic. I'm a little nervous about putting it up, so let me know what you think and if I should write more. I live off of reviews, so please take a minute of your time to do that for me.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Hetalia, Green Day, or any piece of the song 21 Guns. All go to their respected owners.**

**The story is told in third person, and the "he" is referring to America, or Alfred.**

_Do you know what's worth fighting for?_

_When it's not worth dying for?_

_Does it take your breath away_

_And you feel yourself suffocating?_

He looked over the vast expanse that was his land. His home. It was beautiful, with rolling hills, and oceans of grass. The endless sky, whose blue was unmatched. America the beautiful. And here, it was. He looked down, as his feet kicked up dust, to his calloused hands all caked in dirt and blood. From time to time, he ventured back to this place of peaceful serenity, to remind himself exactly why he stained his hands with blood.

_Does the pain weigh out the pride?_

_And you look for a place to hide._

He could still hear the shots of the battlefield ringing in his ears, months after he left it. Could still feel the sting of the bullets, and the spray of the bomb's debris. The horrific screams and the cries of the ones who knew they weren't going to make it. His innocent people.

_Did someone break your heart inside?_

_You're in ruins._

Clutching his chest, he tried to smother the pain. He didn't know the cause of it, only that it hurt and he wanted it to stop. It wasn't a wound anyone could see. It was in his heart, if he could dare call it that. Ever since he had left Arthur, it had never held any genuine love.

_One, twenty one guns,_

_Lay down your arms,_

_Give up the fight._

He was so tired of fighting everyone and everything. When he was younger, he had been so eager to help, so happy to be allowed the chance to save the world. That's what a hero does. Or is supposed to do. And that was exactly what he couldn't do, not anymore. He was never a true hero.

_One, twenty one guns,_

_Throw up your arms_

_Into the sky,_

_You and I._

He was walking along a dark, thin path. There was no one, and nothing else except dead trees lining the road in shadow. His footsteps echoed. Everything else was silent. He wore his happiness like a mask, because it was only skin deep in the rare occasion it was real. The path of his soul was a solitary one.

_When you're at the end of the road,_

_And you've lost all sense of control,_

_And your thoughts have taken their toll,_

_When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul._

There was a cliff at the end of the path, and he was on the edge. Thoughts, relentless as the voices he faced every day, pounded into his consciousness. He was a fool, useless and stupid. He tried to ignore them at first, pushed them off, but over time they wove their way in, and he believed them just as much as everybody else.

_Your faith walks on broken glass,_

_And the hangover doesn't pass,_

_Nothing's ever built to last._

_You're in ruins._

The politicians were arguing again about the crumbling economy. He dreaded to think that his reign was coming to an end, not because he didn't want to step down, but because he was fearful of who would step up. Russia? North Korea? China? The world was changing hands again, and he just hoped he could hand it off to someone who believed in freedom like he once did.

_One, twenty one guns,_

_Lay down your arms,_

_Give up the fight_

The cliff was a steep one, with rocks below and the chaotic waters constantly crashing into it. Sea spray misted the air, smelling of salt. Clouds churned overhead, and the occasional thunder could be heard. Or was it cannons? He didn't know, and didn't care to differentiate anymore.

_One, twenty one guns,_

_Throw up your arms,_

_Into the sky,_

_You and I._

He drew guns out of his hidden pockets, twin pistols. Their cool metal grew more so when exposed to the icy wind. They had been his only reliable friends for so long. But now the memories of the unspeakable crimes he had committed with them flooded his mind, he tossed them over the cliff. He wouldn't need them anymore.

_Did you try to live on your own?_

_When you burned down the house and home_

_Did you stand too close to the fire?_

_Like a liar looking for forgiveness_

_From a stone._

Lonely was the only thing left for him now. That was the pain, gnawing at his chest. Tearing him apart from the inside out. He'd messed up so many times, no matter how he tried. He couldn't replace what he'd lost. He felt he couldn't even apologize anymore, so he could only wish that god, if he was really up there, could forgive him.

_When it's time to live and let die,_

_And you can't get another try_

_Something inside this heart has died._

_You're in ruins._

And so he jumped. He would follow his sins to their watery grave. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he could taste freedom on the wind. The sky had been lifted from his shoulders, and it felt better than he could have ever imagined. If only he could have found love on the wind too. The sea enveloped him, and even though he could no longer feel, he could smile. His final genuine smile.

_One, twenty one guns,_

_Lay down your arms,_

_Give up the fight._

_One, twenty one guns,_

_Throw up your arms,_

_Into the sky_

_You and I._

**A/N: Thank you for reading, and please review! More reviews = happy author. I'm thinking about doing a sequel chapter. If you guys want me to write it, let me know.**

**The song is 21 Guns by Green Day, and I listened to the Green Day / American Idol version while writing this because of the rock and roll mixed with the vocal harmonies. I'll include the URL with spaces below. Thanks again for reading.**

** watch?v=XpjY-gUaUeU&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LLQM8chY4MktiUbgLYFdsABw**


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